African Freedom: How Africa Responded to Independence

Description

The push for independence in African nations was ultimately an incomplete process, with the people often left to wrestle with a partial, imperfect legacy. Rather than settle for liberation in name alone, the people engaged in an ongoing struggle for meaningful freedom. Phyllis Taoua shows how the idea of freedom in Africa today evolved from this complex history. With a pan-African, interdisciplinary approach, she synthesizes the most significant issues into a clear, compelling narrative. Tracing the evolution of a conversation about freedom since the 1960s, she defines three types and shows how they are interdependent. Taoua investigates their importance in key areas of narrative interest: the intimate self, gender identity, the nation, global capital, and the spiritual realm. Allowing us to hear the voices of African artists and activists, this compelling study makes sense of their struggle and the broad importance of the idea of freedom in contemporary African culture.

About Author

Phyllis Taoua is Professor at the University of Arizona in Francophone Studies where she teaches courses on Africa and the French-speaking world. She is affiliated with Africana Studies, World Literature and the Human Rights program.

Contents

Introduction. The meaning of freedom in Africa; 1. The self: unfettering identity after independence; 2. Gender: women's engagement with freedom; 3. The nation: from liberation to meaningful freedom; 4. Global Africa: pillaging with less impunity in the era of neoliberal capital; 5. The spiritual realm: Okonkwo's unraveling and other responses; Conclusion.